Storm-hood for top-carriages



(No Model.) A. W. SOIDMORE. STORM HOOD FOR TOP CARRAGES.

NO. 527,162. Patented Oct. 9,1894.

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- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.,

ARTHUR W. SCIDMORE, OFTHREE RIVERS, IYIICHIGAN.

`s'ToRM-HooD FOR TDP-CARRIAGES.v

SPECIFICATIN forming part of etters Patent No. 527,162, dated Octob r 9,1894.

Application filed January 8, 1894. Serial No. 496,081. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR W. SOIDMORE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Three Rivers, in the county of St. Joseph and State ofMichigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Storm-Hood forTop- Carriages, of wh ich the followingisa specification. w

The purpose of my invention is to provide a new and improved storm-hoodswhich may be readilyand quickly attached to, or detached from, acarriage-top, and which will afford a complete protection against rain,snow, and wind, without materially excluding the light, or interferingwith the management of the It is also my purpose to provide a novelstorm-hood which shall be attachable to a carriage-top of any size, incontra-distinction to those storm-hoods which can only be i used uponthose carriage tops for which they are specially made. o

It is my purpose, also, to provide a stormhood having lateral portionsprovided with covered hooks which may be connected, or disconnected,inan instant, said side-portions serving as doors and being providedwith glasses, as well as the front of the storm-hood, to afford ampleview upon both sides and in front, and provision being also made forlthe passage of the lines through the front of the hood without admittingrain, snow, or sleet.

It is my purpose also, to provide a hood which shall wholly inclose thefront and both sides of w any top'carriage, and be `so coustructed thatthe carriage may be entered from either side and the entrance-flap, orlateral portion, instant1y and easily closed and secured, so as towholly exclude the rain, snow, sleet, and wind.

The invention consists in the novel features of construction, in thepartsV and combinations of parts, and in the new article of manufacturehereinafter fully set forth' and then particularly pointed out anddefinedin the claims which follow and form part of this specification.

To enable others skilled in the art to which my invention pertains tofully understand and to make, construct, and use the same, I

will proceed to describe said invention in detail, reference being had,for this purpose, to the accompauying drawings, iu whichv Figure 1 is aview showing a top-carriage havingfmy invention applied thereto. 2 is aviewV of the ,storm-hood removed from the carriage and spread out flat.Fig. 3 is a detail transverse section showing the manner of confiningthe lights of glass to prevent rattling and breaking. Fig. 4 is a detailseotion of the upper margin of the storm-hood,

showingthe means for fastening the same to' the carriage-top;

The reference-numeral 1, in said drawings,

indicates the storm-hood, which is shown in Fig` 2 as spread out flat.It is composed of a'single piece of water-proof fabric, such, for

example, as heavy canvass, oil-cloth, rubber, leather, or any othersuitable material.v

The form of the storm-hood is substantiall y that shown iu said figure,its broadest point being somewhat above the lower edge of the hood. Fromthis point, the hood contracts in width in both directions, itsnarrowest point being a little below the upper-edge. From this point, itincreases in widthuntil the upper edge is roached. The edges of the hoodare turned and 'hemmed in the usual manner, and the inner side may beliued, if desired, with any suitable material. i

A little below the upper edge of the hood, in that portion which forms.the front, when the storm-hood is `inl place upon a carriageticehowever, I prefer to set these lights in frames,composed of metal strips3, riveted, or otherwise suitably fastened together, the material ofwhich thev storm-hood is made being allowed to pass through between theltwo parts of said frame and make a cushion for the edge of the glassplate. I may, also, insert a strip of rubber, or heavy felt, 4, betweenthe members of the frame, which will exert a suitable degree ofpressureupon the edge of the glass and hold it rigidly in position,preventing rattling and aiding very materially in avoiding fracture. Inthe lateral portions of the storm-hood, also, are set lights `5, in asubstantially similar manner.

IOO

Along the lateral edges of the storm-hood are attached hooks 6, formedeither of brass, steel, or steel Wire, and covered with cloth, rubber,leather, or other suitable material to prevent said hooks from marringythecarriagetop, or other parts to which the hood is secured. These booksare riveted, or otherwise secured to the margins of the storm-hood, thelatter being provided, at the several points of attachment, withreinforcements 7.

At each upper corner of the hood are formed lateral extensions 8 ofangular form, and along the upper edge of said hood is formed a seriesof openings at regular intervals, protected by eyelets 9, which receivefastening devices passing from the inside of the carriage-top. Thesedevices consist,preferably, of short studs having loops, or eyes, 10,upon their ends which pass through the said eyelets. To the upper edgeof the storm-hood is attached a strip of leather, or other suitablematerial 12, its point of attachment being substantially central andbetween two of the eyelets 9. iVhen the loops or eyes 10 are pushedthrough the eyelets 9, the said strip 12 is passed through the latter,making a strong, safe connection, which will not permit rattling, orcome loose.

To the lower edge of the storm-hood are attached straps 13, which pass,when the hood is drawn over the front of the dash, under the body of thecarriage and are hooked upon buttons to hold the hood down. I may,however, substitute for these fastenings, other straps 14:, which Willpreferably have one or more short Sections of elastic material, as 15.These straps may be buckled, or hooked together after being passedaround the dash-board, this construction rendering it applicable todifferent sizes of Clash-boards.

The lateral, angular extensions S render the storm-hood applicable tocarriages having different widths of top, since, by doubling back saidextensions the width may be varied from one to tell inches, which fullycovers the difference between the standard widths or tops in use.

I do not limit my invention, in fact, to any style, or type, 'ofcarriage-top as it may be applied to what is usually known as acanopytop, to the outside, or under the protecting edge of the same, aswell as to anystyle of top-buggy, or to delivery-wagons, milk-wagons, orsleighs.

A suitable opening or openings 16, is formed at a suitable point in thefront of the hood, for the lines to pass through, and a flap, or hood 17is attached to the exterior surface of the storm-hood to prevent theentrance of rain and snow. t

The fiap, or hood 17, which is secured to the hood by rivets 18, orother suitable fastenings, is preferably extended sufficiently to coveran opening 19, in the front of the hood, through which the whip may beprojected, and the extended portion of the fiapis slitted, as shown bythe reference-nulneral 20, to allow the whip to be used without raisingthe flap.

VVhat I claim is- 1. A storm-hood consisting of a single piece of fabricand having parallel upper and lower edges, said hood being provided withlateral angular extensions, below which it increases in width to a pointnear the lower edge, and from said point decreases, the hood beingprovided with front and side lights and with suitable means forattachment, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a carriage-top, of a storm-hood having a seriesof eyeleted openings along its upper edge adapted to receive loops, oreyes, upon the carriage-top, a

strip of suitable material attached at asingle,

point to said upper edge; its ends passing through said loops, or eyes,a series of covered hooks attached along the diverging sideedges, andstraps attached at, or near, the lower edge to draw the same over thedashboard, the upper edge of said hood being provided with angular,lateral, extensions,

and suitable lights being` set in the front and sides, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal inpresence of two subscribing witnesses.

ARTHUR W. SCIDMORE. LL. sl

VVitnesses:

H. O. BLIss, L. A. CoLLvnR.

